John Stinson's Harvest School Micronesia VIDEO

Update from Tessa Oakley

10/23/13

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A list or 2 about what I’ve been up to

I’ve just completed the first ever Iris Global Harvest School Level 2. For the past 9 weeks, I slept in a tent with 5 other girls that flooded every time in rained. (Note: it rains every day). I’ve seen more rainbows, eaten more rice and gotten more bug bites than ever before in my life. I got bit by an eel, swam with a shark and jumped off 3 waterfalls. I spear fished, lined fish and ate fish. …along with pig, turtle and dog (yes dog). I made homemade donuts, homemade kefir and homemade tank tops (aka I cut off the sleeves to all my shirts because it’s so hot).

 

 

 

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I’ve had the privilege to live amidst the most amazing people from Madagascar to Wales, Canada, Australia, South Africa, England, Canada and good ole America. People who have the same call on their life as I do. They’d do anything and go anywhere to see heaven touch earth. They’re worshipers, servants, intercessors, healers, encouragers, teachers, evangelists and preachers. They’ve been sent out from here to places like: Thailand, China, Uganda, Malaysia, Turkey, Holland and Mongolia to name a few.

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And let me not forget the people from these islands - the Micronesians. Without a doubt, living with them has taught me more about Jesus than anything else I’ve ever experienced. Most all of them attend (or have attending) a missionary training program here on the island where their day starts at 4am with quiet time and ends around 9pm with prayer and worship - 7 days a week for 2 years! They fast, intercede, cook, serve, pray, sing, work, study etc. etc. etc.! They’re committed to learning their Bible and being a living example of who Christ is. They’re humble, gentle, joyful and the most hard working individuals I’ve ever met. We jokingly say all Western men should come here and learn how to work hard, serve and love people because these guys have it down pat (and girls).

 

 

 

 

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I’ve saved the best for last - what I’ve seen God do here. I’ve seen Him set captives free of alcohol and drugs, turn mourning into gladness, heal poor eye sight and deaf ears, take a man from coughing up blood in a hospital bed to worshiping Jesus 10 steps from the ocean, console a mother’s broken heart, give hope and joy to a sick little girl in the hospital, restore families, calm the seas, shine His glory through creation, cast out evil spirits, change the atmosphere through worship and make dreams a reality.

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You know why He does all of those things? Simply so that another soul can be won back Home. He heals the sick so that they may know the depths of His love and casts out demons so that His child can be free to seek His face. It’s all about a relationship with Him.

I’ve decided to stay here and see revival come to all of Pohnpei and all of Micronesia. But, I’d count it all loss unless I lead people towards that relationship with Him. To accept Him as Savior is wonderful, but to know Him is best.

 

 

 

 

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My ministry will continue here through the new year and possibly beyond. Please be in prayer about what God’s doing here. We want to see 25,000 people come to know Him in the next 6 months!

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11/8/13

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The same thought runs through my mind at the most subtle of times, at lease once a day. “Wow,” I think. “This place blows me away.”

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Thank you God for bringing me here. Thank you for letting me be amongst these grains of wheat. You’ve tended to them, teaching them Your ways and yet many of them don’t know YOU are the one behind it all. But their ways are Your ways and that’s not by coincidence.

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It’s You that taught them to love their neighbor. Everything they have, they share. Nothing is their own. They give out of a kind heart, never begrudgingly. They give because they know they too will be given too; they’ll never go without. That’s a Kingdom mindset - To love those around them as they love themselves, to give graciously and to know that they’ll be taken care of.

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It’s You that taught them discipline and commitment. They work and they work hard. They collect the firewood, that they chop to make the fire that they tend to in order to cook the yam the planted and harvested along with the cucumber and eggplant. They grow the banana tree that they climb with their bare feet to get the ripe bananas that they then peel, remove the brown end from, cook and mash up with a spoon they’ve whittled out of a coconut tree. Their condiments - they make those too. And I’ve only talked about meals. They cut their grass by hand, tend their garden, feed their pigs, rake the dirt, pick the weeds, wash the cement floor outside their door.

 

 

 

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You see, many of them don’t know You yet God bug you’ve given them tools that’ll be used to serve you one day soon! To be disciplined in serving You and reading Your Word

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It’s because of You that they know the value of family. It’s You that taught them how to make others feel special by simply showing up to visit; no words needed. You join their circle when they sit on the floor and eat their meal off of 1 large plate. You love the community they create. It’s never one man for his own, it’s all men for one another. That’s love, and that’s You God.

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Much of Pohnpei, has tools for a Kingdom filled life and they don’t even know it. They don’t know God’s been tending to them, preparing their hearts and lives to come back to Him.

 

 

 

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They’re ready! Everywhere we go, they’re ready! The cashier ladies, the waiters and waitresses, the hotel owners and fishermen. The cooks and neighbors, the men and women who come out only at night to drink. All of them! They’re open to The Gospel. Many of them ask us questions without us even mentioned the name of Jesus. It’s like there’s a draw there; a spiritual string from them to us and God’s reeling them in!

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To say I’m happy to be here is an understatement. God’s allowed me to be a part of something really special. Just yesterday, I led a college student to Christ, witnessed family reconciliation, sowed more seed into one of our regular waitresses and received vision and strategy for future projects!

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God’s good. I’m blessed. This island is blessed and ready for Him to come and be their Lord. Pray for us!

 

 

IRIS HSM1 VIDEO

IRIS MICRONESIA LEVEL 2 HARVEST SCHOOL VIDEO. Laid down lovers of Jesus coming together in community, praying for the unreached, learning survival skills to go to the most remote tribes with the Gospel, outer island boat outreaches, worshipping in the glory, hearing from pioneer missionaries and dynamic international speakers, tropical paradise, launching out in community from Micronesia to the ends of earth to usher in the Kingdom of God and destroy the works of the devil. this is the abundant life of victorious adventure and overcoming faith.

 

Sweet Moments in Pohnpei

Sweet Pohnpei Moments

It was such a sweet Pohnpeian experience this morning walking with Zoe(Welsh) and Darlene(Pohnpeian) and being invited over for breakfast egg salad sandwiches and tituhs (fried banana donuts) by some people we didn't know Utleen and Anderson. So easy to become friends in Pohnpei.

Wow, here I am Lord. In Pohnpei. You brought me here. I've been here a month and I still can't believe it. You brought me to an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, to teach me about humility, honor, what it means to serve, boldness in preaching the gospel, character and discipline, hospitality.

And I remember sitting with Darlene and Una last night at dinner, and Darlene brought over a huge water jug to fill my waterbottle for me. So sweet, she demonstrates to me what it looks like in Romans 12:13 to "show genuine affection for each other, and to take delight in honoring one another, and to never be lazy but work hard serving the Lord." wow.

I learned how to clean and scale and gut fish and cook them or cover them with lime juice and eat them raw (sashimi). And snorkeled over some beautiful reefs and spearfished at night. I caught one small fish, but I was so proud. But swimming at night by flashlight was amazing all by itself. With little glowing bubbles all around.

We had another outdoor outreach in the city park. And after dancing and drama and a short message, tons of people came up to accept Jesus and then they prayed for themselves to be healed if they needed it and were filled with the Holy Spirit. My friend Una's mom was instantly healed from back issues that she has had 3 surgeries for and still had a lot of pain and limited range of motion in her whole body. And she was so excited moving all around and saying, "I feel God, I feel God!". Everywhere we go on outreaches, we make friends so fast and people just really want Jesus! The harvest is so ripe in these islands, God is really moving and the people are so hungry, the gospel is so simple, and its such good news. I am really looking forward to being a part of this revival even in some of the islands that have more oppressed cultures and some who have never heard of Jesus.

 

 

We had a guest speaker from the Philippines this week, Hiriam Pangilinan, who has been experiencing revival and healings and signs and wonders and deliverances and lots of new believers in his local church for years. He taught us a lot about principles of a revival that will be sustained until the end and not burn out like the ones through out history. And he taught a lot about deliverance, which was so good to hear from an eastern world perspective and someone who has had tons of experience with it since thats where I'll be for a while. Super helpful tools.

I will miss this island, two weeks till graduation and heading to another state far away in Micronesia, Yap, and to some islands that haven't heard the gospel yet. Jesus is breaking in :)

Level 2 Iris Harvest School

Born to be wild

 trampling over fear with the untamed faith of a child

 These Jesus freaks freak out the freaking devil with their fearless faith and Holy Ghost fire

 You are the wild ones with the big guns

 ambushing the enemies camps to recover the King's stolen jewels

 to the world appearing as fools

 But you are eternities heroes

 You are unstoppable blazing with fire unquenchable

 laughing in the faith of the darkest evil

 flying on the wings of freedom

 demolishing the forms built by the religious traditions of men

 You are unexplainable, unconventional, practically irrational

 and the whole earth groans for you

 to be who you are..

 a fearless lover, pulling the lost children home to the Father

 

Beauty In Tension

Posted on August 29, 2013

I find myself loving my time here in Micronesia more and more everyday. God is doing some amazing things within my heart, which is what I want to write about today. During the first few days of being here, I knew the word Jesus was speaking over me was freedom. This is a season for me to truly step into who I was created to be. It’s a season of not only moving toward the person I’ve always imagined myself being but fully BECOMING

the person I’ve always imagined I would be. That is terrifying to me. I picture it like I have been climbing this big "mountain" for a few years. It’s a mountain of multiple things I’ve experienced, things I’ve overcome, and shaking off words that were spoken over me from a young age. God has been showing me that the words spoken over me are in direct contrast from how He sees me. Words such as you’re too shy to preach or be a missionary. But thankfully I’ve made it to the top of the mountain, and I’ll I have to is jump off. However, that seems to be the hardest part. It would mean I’m stepping into the unknown of experiencing complete freedom for the first time in my life. There is this tension going on inside; part of me wants to hold onto what I know and keep my feet planted, while the other part of me wants to get a running start and leap off the mountain. I recognize that I am slowly leaping off the mountain. On a lighter note, my group is doing the water survival outreach where we will be learning to spear, line, and net fish. I can’t freaking wait. Love from Micronesia!

Priscilla Huber

Faith is unstoppable

Does not acknowledge the impossible

Considers the onslaught of our enemy as merely laughable

Sees difficulty as opportunity

Runs into challenges springing off of them like a trampoline

 walks through walls of the limitations in the minds of men

A man of faith may fall seven times but rises again

Because faith has substance that is currency in the spirit realm

It is through faith that we are born-again receive the Spirit and live for Him.

Faith sees the unseen, receives promises as guarantees

Looks ridiculous to the world because to our human reasoning it never agrees.    

Hello to all from Micronesia!! I wanted to share a testimony of something that happened a few days ago:

Today after worship a grandmother brought her granddaughter to our compound for prayer because her granddaughters face was swollen on one side. I guess in the night the child saw a demon in the form of man that use to live there but died due to a landslide. A couple on staff prayed over her and then thought it be best to go over to the house so they gathered a group and went. I went with them... On our way we found that in fact a witch doctor visited the day before and left something there. So we sang about Jesus' blood.. the power

and victory of it and anointed their house with oil and prayed the blood of Jesus all over it and them! Hallelujah the blood is stronger and greater than any power of evil. So amazing that the kingdom is established and people can sense it that they walk to where they know they can be helped! I pray that others will realize who can set them free! Who can heal them! Who can protect them! Today is a great day and Jesus is already on the move! Join HIM! He is for you & with you! Hallelujah!

This weekend:

My group will be gone hiking for a mountain survival weekend. The group that went last weekend had amazing stories challenges and of God healing one guy immediately of (what sounded to me like altitude sickness, or severe dehydration and vomiting). So... we are pretty excited about a slightly shorter, amazing challenging weekend of hiking. And this morning Jessie and Tanya shared a story with us of them visiting a

hard to reach, unreached mountain village in Nepal, and the crazy dangerous bus ride and hike, and then how a woman was healed of the cancer she was dying from and her whole family and doctor became believers in Jesus. And many other people in those villages. Jesus is worth the pain, he is worth the risk. He is beautiful! He is great news!

One of the Pohnpeian students here with us, broke his finger playing volleyball last week, then another student prayed for him immediately and he was healed and felt something like electricity going through his body. And of course a lot of heart healing is happening for all of us, because thats what God does...

RADICAL RAGING LOVE flows like liquid fire, filling the darkness with hope and light, melting the ice, breaking the chains and calling forth a new generation to extreme living, dying to self and the world, living new energy of passion bursting forth to love the ugly unto beauty and uncover the hidden treasures from the dust of the earth. His Kingdom within reach, within us, wanting to be let out as we step out of comfort into the tension of the unseen and untouched being more real than the tangible and visible, until faith creates the world dreamed for becoming the physical reality around us

Freedom for the Captives

What an incredible last few months in Pohnpei, Micronesia! Words probably couldn’t even describe all of the incredible things we have seen God do on this island. In the midst of the busy preparations for the level 2 Harvest School we have seen Gods hand in so many different ways.

Lenger, One of the beautiful outer islands we explored to send an outreach team to.

One of my favourite ministry experiences in the island, despite seeing incredible healings and testimonies, was probably seeing the transformation in “Lil’ Wayne”. Every week a small team of us go to the prison and get to spend some time singing and sharing the word with some of the wonderful men living there. However, every week without fail, we would be subjected to the demonic shouting of “lil’ Wayne – the rapper”. We wouldn’t even be able to hear the speaker because Lil’ Wayne would be rapping the same revolting line over and over again as loud as he could from his prison cell.

One week they let Lil’ Wayne join the rest of us at the meeting but he caused such a commotion – declaring himself to be a “bad-boy sinner boy” that other inmates forced him to leave. Yet on his way out he made sure to threaten and swear at one of the international missionaries on our team. Everyone waited with baited breath to see how the missionary would respond… He waited silently for Lil’ Wayne to leave… then he slowly stood up and asked for all of the inmates to pray for Lil’ Wayne their cellmate and brother in Christ. To pray that he would be completely set free from all of the emotional pain that he was suffering. They prayed beautifully and sought the Lord for Wayne’s complete freedom. Strangely after that for the rest of the night there was no more rapping from Lil’ Wayne’s cell … but that wasn’t the end…

The next week we went back to the prison and were pleasantly surprised to see a new inmate in the group. We held the meeting as usual with no interference. Seeing the inmates sing their own songs of love to Jesus is one of the most precious things I have ever seen in my life. After the meeting this “new” prisoner came and greeted us. He immediately turned his attention on the international missionary from the previous week. We were all rather surprised to discover that we were actually talking to Lil’ Wayne! He looked so different it was hard to recognise him. He no longer looked angry and bitter but joyful and with a sweet spirit. He came and humbly apologised to the international missionary for everything he has said and done before. We were all amazed to see the radical transformation of this young man. He has never shouted during any more of our meetings; instead he has listened intently with a kind and gentle heart. He is truly a free man!

This is just one of the incredible stories from this island, if only there was time to tell them all. We have been so blessed as we have prepared for the new missionary school. We have been on incredible adventures exploring outer islands and deserted Japanese bunkers from WW2, hiking up mountains, taking outreach teams into the villages and town all whilst organising cooking supplies, port-a-potty deliveries and who knows what else for this exciting new school. We have already had our first student arrive; so stay tuned as I am sure there will be plenty of exciting and adventurous stories to come!!

We are so grateful for all of your love, prayers and support!

Stories from Micro by Carissa Marsh

It was so wonderful going up to spend time with the EHFC students. I’m beoming friends with some of the pohnepian girl students and look forward to concentrated time I’ll have with them in the coming two months during the mission school.

I’ve learned, and been laughed at so much while trying to learn the language. I’m learning how to say ‘goodnight’ in pohnpian. The catch is that its quite similar to ‘something smells like fish’. Its always a tossup what will be coming out of my mouth. I don’t think I’ve spit out ‘something smells like fish’ yet but whatever I say gets met with a smile or little laugh.

We were all sitting on the floor last night; lots of the local missionaries were sharing stories of pohnpei. The different things they believe, and about the local culture.
…Suddenly out of the clear blue nowhere a massive flying cockroach started to fly straight at my face! Though I’ve been places that have roaches, I’m still not a fan and have never seen them fly….especially right at me!

I did what any normal girl would do. SCREAM and run to the opposite end of the room. As I reached my safe haven I turned only in my horror to see it was coming at me again!
To the other side of the room I ran, and hid. It must have gotten board (or deaf from my screams) and flew to a window screen where it would spend an evening of rest.

I returned to the place I was sitting, only to roll on the ground laughing with the pohnpeian girls and other missionaries with me. What a sight to see me all frazzled running back and fourth because of a three inch bug. Haha. Give me a bear and I will be cautious…give me a cockroach and I’ll freak out.
The funniest thing was that nasty roach landed on my pohnpeian friend and she just brushed it off like it was an ant or mosquito.

In my day to day I’ve just been asking the Lord what missions, what love looks like in Micronesia. Its such a different place than everywhere else I’ve been. Different yet so similar in that there is such a need for the Lord there is such a need for people to see their identity in Him. Its been very insightful to just soak up stories and listen to the experiences other missionaries have had (local missionaries and international ones who have come to live). Just learning the culture right now, and learning about the people helps me to learn how to best love.

Slowly bit by bit I get more of the language. I don’t have an unrealistic expectation of learning it in a year, but I do have hopes of understanding quickly Ok enough for now. Love to you all!